Energy-Band Engineering for Improved Charge Retention in Fully Self-Aligned Double Floating-Gate Single-Electron Memories

• Published in: Nano letters Vol. 11; no. 11; pp. 4520 - 4526
• Main Authors: Tang, Xiaohui, Krzeminski, Christophe, Lecavelier des Etangs-Levallois, Aurélien, Chen, Zhenkun, Dubois, Emmanuel, Kasper, Erich, Karmous, Alim, Reckinger, Nicolas, Flandre, Denis, Francis, Laurent A, Colinge, Jean-Pierre, Raskin, Jean-Pierre
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 09.11.2011
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Barriers; Charge; Devices; Electronics; Energy Transfer; Engineering Sciences; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Exact sciences and technology; Gates; Germanium; Information Storage and Retrieval; Leakage; Micro and nanotechnologies; Microelectronics; Molecular electronics, nanoelectronics; Nanostructure; Nanotechnology - instrumentation; Offsets; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Semiconductors; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted - instrumentation; Silicon; Static Electricity; quantum effects; heterostructure; Double floating-gate single-electron memory; conduction-band offset; Band structure; Memory; Electron injection; Quantum effect; Energy barrier; Nanoelectronics; Molecular electronics; Gallium tellurides; Germanium; Silicon; Band offset; Conduction band; Gates; Nanotechnology
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/nl202434k

We present a new fully self-aligned single-electron memory with a single pair of nano floating gates, made of different materials (Si and Ge). The energy barrier that prevents stored charge leakage is induced not only by quantum effects but also by the conduction-band offset that arises between Ge and Si. The dimensions and position of each floating gate are well-defined and controlled. The devices exhibit a long retention time and single-electron injection at room temperature.